After looking at the small length of assignments on the weekly schedule, I was sure that the CD workweek would be short and simple. Of course, I was wrong. There was definitely a decrease in the amount of assignments, but the amount of time spent on the assignments was the same as usual, if not longer. With this class and Anatomy, I am beginning to realize that there are not enough hours in the day. My anatomy week was rough, but not as bad as the previous one. This week, I only had one test and a quiz. I was terrified of the anatomy class, (Which is why I kept postponing the semester that I would take it.), so I decided to take it in the summer thinking that it would be easier. I think that is the stupidest thing that I have ever did! I really believe that this class would be 1000 times easier in the fall or spring semester because we are flying through the material. We are averaging 2-3 chapters a night and the material is not easy, therefore it is getting difficult. I was very disappointed when I got back both of the tests that I took last week. I didn’t do bad, (I got a B on both tests.), but I was expecting a little better. I really want an A in the Anatomy class (Probable won’t happen!), which is why I spent the same amount of time studying for one test this week that I spent on two last week. Enough about Anatomy! Our mission in CD this week was to continue drafting our MRP. By the end of the week, the class was responsible for producing two genre drafts. In addition to the genres, we were expected to read an article then create and respond to a prompt about it, gather five resources about our research topic from Marshall’s on-line library, perform peer responses to our group members’ genres, and continue reading email from our professional mailing list.

I began the CD assignments on Monday after I received the week’s schedule. Immediately, I started working on my genres because they require the most thought, consideration, and time. The two that I decided to complete this week were the Brochure and PowerPoint genres. After many hours of contemplation and prep-work, I started drafting my ideas onto the computer. Actually putting my ideas onto a computer screen was a very fast process because I put everything the way that I want it on paper first. I tend to think better with paper in front of me. I think that it is because I feel rushed to complete assignments when I am drafting on a computer. Once my initial drafts were finished, I saved my work and got off the computer. I continued thinking about the genres as I went on with my week. Periodically, an idea would come to me and I would revise the genre versions. I revised both drafts several different times throughout the week before being satisfied enough to publish the final-rough draft on the Internet. Sometime during the middle of the week I realized that I didn’t know how to format my brochure onto my weblog so I began work on my newsletter genre. I decided it would probable be easier to wait on the brochure because I wasn’t sure how to do it and I vaguely remember hearing Mrs. McComas say something about scanning the brochure at Marshall’s campus library. (I don’t remember everything that was said which is why I decided to wait. I figured that I would email the class and ask when Mrs. McComas gets back in town. I don’t want to interfere with her trip if I don’t have to. In this case I could wait.) I also drafted and redrafted the Newsletter several times throughout the week. I didn’t get a chance to make as many revisions to the Newsletter because I started on it late, but I think it will due for now. At the end of the week, I published the two genres on-line. Actually, I haven’t done that part of the assignment yet. I plan to publish them on-line when I publish this journal.

At the beginning of the week, I only worked on my genre drafts for this class. Between the genres and my test in anatomy, it was all I had time to do. Toward the end of the week, I began working on the other assignments. First, I went to Marshall’s on-line library and began further research on my project. This assignment was not difficult to complete due to prior experience with Marshall’s on-line library and a similar assignment. However, it was more difficult to find good articles this time around. I looked at several articles and considered many angles for my research before coming up with five resources. Once I found the articles that I needed, I transformed the information about the article into an APA format and sent my resources to the class list.

Next, I began reading an article that I was supposed to create a prompt and respond to. In order to complete this task, I logged onto the CD 315 webpage, clicked on week 6 assignments, and then clicked again on the article title. I printed out the article and began reading it. Once I was finished reading the article, I created my prompt, responded to it, and sent it to the class list via email. These types of assignments are more difficult for me to complete. I guess it is because it requires thought. (HA!)

The last assignment that I did for the week was review my peers’ genre work. I really enjoyed this assignment. I hate trying to criticize assignments, but I liked looking at the work other people create. In fact, after I finished my mandatory reviews I glanced at some genres of people who were not in my group. This assignment is very helpful. It is helpful to get feedback on my work so I am sure that it is helpful to give it to others. Other than getting feedback on my own work, it was helpful to generate ideas. It is so funny how differently people react to the same assignment. When looking at the genres, I saw really creative ideas that worked well. It allowed me to think about how I can spice up some of my genres. I think that performing peer work is the best way to get someone thinking differently about their own work. I am going to continue looking at the genres that my classmates create to help give me ideas about how to make my own work better. It is a somewhat sticky situation to get ideas from other people though. You don’t want to look like you are cheating or stealing from the person you get ideas from. This concept gave me a little bit of grief this week as I contemplated revising my genre drafts even further. I didn’t make any major changes to my own work after reviewing other genres (I was a little afraid to.), but I am still considering it.

In addition to the weekly assignments, I continued to read the mail that I received from my professional list. Thankfully, I am still reading them as they come in. If I didn’t it would take me forever to read them because I get quite a bit of mail from my list. I haven’t spoke to the group, but I still enjoy reading the messages.

It took a lot of time and work to complete the assignments this week, but I managed to get all of it finished. Taking this class and Anatomy at the same time in a summer semester is killing me. I knew that this class would require a lot of work, but I think that I underestimated it a little. Actually, I wasn’t haven’t any trouble with time management until I started my Anatomy class. (By the way, my Anatomy teacher is Staci Aulick.) It really seems like time is passing me by this summer. It will be time to start the fall semester before you know it and I haven’t done anything FUN yet. I sit home all the time. When I am not here, I am either in class, work, or driving to Huntington. Driving to Huntington everyday is really starting to get on my nerves a little bit. I am constantly on the road. I would literally gain about 16hrs. a week if I lived in Huntington. I have been considering the move for a long time and I am just about to do it. I have been studying the classified section of the Herald Dispatch for weeks now. My only problem is that I don’t know where to live and not to live. (You know bad areas where your neighbors won’t try to steal ya. Ha!) Another biggie is money of course and I stay broke now so I can only imagine what it would be like to pay rent. I have bummed a dime from my parents in years and I am not about to start. I pay for everything except rent and food on occasion (I eat at home about once a week.), but rent is a lot of money. Oh well, I am going to stop whining now! I am going to quit writing this week’s journal for class because I am started to treat it like a diary. Thanks for listening to me vent for a little while, I feel better! Do you? (Ha!) Have a great week!!